Apparatus for filling, folding and closing containers of paper, cardboard, or the like carton-forming material



April 12, 1960 Filed July 7, 1958 ''fi. Fig. 1

W APPARATUS FOR FIL CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD, OR

THE LIKE CARTON-FORMING MATERIAL DRESE LING, FOLDING AND CLOSING 3Sheets-Sheet 1 April 12, 1960 w. DRESE 2,932,140

APPARATUS FOR FILLING, FOLDING AND CLOSING com AINERS OF PAPER,CARDBOARD, OR THE LIKE CARTON-FORMING MATERIAL.

Filed July 7, 1958 21 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 12, 1960 w. DRESE 2,932,140

APPARATUS FOR FILLING, FOLDING AND CLOSING CON NERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD,OR TH IKE CARTON-FORMING MATERIAL Filed Juiy 7, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet :s

r 2,932,140 APPARATUS FOR FILLING. FOLDING AND CLOS- ING CONTAINERS OFPAPER, CARDBOARD, OR THE LIKE CARTON -F ORMING MATERIAL Wilhelm Drese,Dusseldorf, Germany, assiguor to .lagenherg-Werhe Akt.-Ges., Dusseldorf,Germany The present invention relates broadly to the art of filling andclosing containers.

More particularly, this invention relates to a method of and means forfilling and closing containers of paper, cardboard or the likecarton-forming material and which containers are of the type generallyintended to hold liquid such as milk.

Specifically, the present invention constitutes an improvement over thesubject matter of prior application, Serial No. 602,007, filed August 3,1956, now US. Patent No. 2,888,794, in the name of Gunther MeyerJagenberg, and entitled Method and Apparatus for Filling, Folding andClosing Containers of Paper, Cardboard or the Like Carton FormingMaterial. Y .4

Therefore,-the invention relates to apparatus of the type embodied inthe said prior filed application in which containers of suitable cartonforming material are .employed that include a wall structure which ismulti-sided in an area above a filling level and which has fold lineswhich delineate a foldable gable-type top with one wall having a closureflap-forming extension adapted to be folded over and sealed against thefacing wall structure by a heat and pressure sealing operation.

Basically, the apparatus of the present invention includes a fillingstation, a sealing station displaced from 'the filling station, and afolding blade arrangement extending from the sealing station toward thefilling station. A movable cell structure mounted for movement along'the line between the filling station and the sealing station andadapted to receive successive containers to be filled, closed andsealed. In accordance with the teachings of the prior application, thiscell structure includes prefolding blades operable to prefold certain ofthe wall portions toward one another to initiate similar movement of theother oppositely arranged wall portions and to beheld in this prefoldedcondition while the cell is displaced toward the sealing station. Duringthis displacing move- "ment, the said other opposite wall portions arefolded toward one another until they engage along a closure line,whereupon the closure flap-forming portion or extension is folded overin overlapping relation prior to entry into the sealing station, whereinheat and pressure is applied to effect a closure seal, it is of courseunderstood that the closure flap-forming portion is provided with asuitable heat activatable adhesive to ensure the formation of a properseal.

Thus, the invention is directed to a manually operable filling, foldingand closing mechanism of economical construction, in which a cellstructure, movably mounted on a fixed support, in sequence receives anempty container to be filled, superpositioned beneath the fillingstation and when filled is moved toward a sealing device to effectsealing at the sealing station. During this movement, the prefoldingmechanism on the cell structure is actuated and the folding bladeseffect the formation of the folded closure. This mode of operationnecessitates affording a certain period of rest asregards the movementof the cell-structure in order tocarry out the necessary opera- 2332,14Patented Apr. 12, race tions of filling and sealing. In other words,with the mechanism and mode of operation as set forth in the said priorfiled application, it is impossible to provide an overlapping of theindividual working steps, because, while a container is being filled orbeing sealed, no other operation can be carried out. Thus, while themechanism and method disclosed in the said prior filed applicationaffords an economical relationship, it does require certain definitetime intervals in the working cycle between a complete filling, folding,closing and sealing operation that place a limitation upon the rate ofproduction or output of the mechanism.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a methodand apparatus of the type referred to in said application constructed,arranged and operated to aflord an increased rate of production whilemaintaining the economic advantages of simplicity of construction andease of operation.

Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod of filling and closing successive containers in which there is atleast a partial overlapping in the operation of the filling step withthe closing step, which provides for an increased rate of production.Accordingly, while one container is being sealed and is stationary atthe sealing station, the steps of inserting another container andmanipulating the same to the filling the other to form station and thecommencing of the filling operation can be carried out in such containeris still being filled, the-first and sealed container can be removedfrom the sealing station and deposited elsewhere.

It is a particular object ofthe invention to provide apparatus formanipulating containers between a filling station and a sealing stationwhich includes a movable cell means adapted to receive a container andto be displaced between the filling station and the sealing station andin which the cell means is of two-part construction with each partcapable of accommodating a container.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novelcontainer-carrying cell of two-part construction with support means forthe cell and in which latching means are provided for securing the partsto- 'gether at one station, said latching means being opened at a secondstation and return means associated with one of the cell parts to returnsaid one cell part back to the first station, independently of thecontainer, while the other cell part remains at the second station untilthe process step being carried out at that station is completed.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a two-part cellstructure, each including wall means adapted to support a container withthe wall means being shaped and positioned to permit telescoping of onepart within a unitary cell and with one cell part carrying a latch andthe other cell part carrying a member that cooperates with the latch tohold the coil parts together.

As a further specific object, return means are associated with one cellpart operable after unlatching of the parts at a position remote fromthat where they were coupled together to automatically return said onepart to a starting position and in which each cell part-has a partialbase structure for supporting a bottom of an upright container with thebase structure of said one cell part having its upper surface below thelevel of the base structure of the other cell part so that said one cellpart can be withdrawn from beneath the container without disturbing thesame.

Consistent with the foregoing objects, it is an additional object ofthis invention to provide a method of performing a series of operationson successive containers relation that while said another condition at afirst work station such as a filling station, completing a filling atthe station and manually displacing the filled container to a secondwork station such as the sealing station and while supporting saidfirstcontainer at the sealing station and effecting a sealing thereof,manually manipulating another container to the filling station andsupporting the same in upright condition to be filled, while fillingsaid another container completing the sealing of, the first containerand while displacing it back toward the filling station removing thesealed container during the completion of the filling of said anothercontainer and manually repeating such steps in sequence on successivecontainers. Further and more specific objects will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view illustrating the two-part cell structurein coupled relationship to form a cell unit,

Figure 2 is a top view of the arrangement of Figure 1 in horizontalsection along lines 22,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l but illustrating the cell partsin separated relationship,

Figure 3a is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 3a3a ofFigure 2, and

Figures 4 to 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating several steps in afilling, folding and sealing operation.

The structural components of this invention are in many respects similarto those in the said prior filed application, Serial No. 602,007, andthus the supporting base and framework has not been illustrated.Essentially, the components include a filling mechanism denoted at 1including a downwardly directed filling spout and conventional mechanismfor dispensing a predetermined quantity of a liquid such as milk. Thefilling mechanism can also be of the type disclosed in said prior filedapplication. A fixed carrier rail 4 is supported below the fillingmechanism and extends horizontally away therefrom to terminate beneath asuitably supported sealing head 3. Extending from the sealing head andback toward the filling station is a folding and laying down bladearrangement 2. The said blade arrangement and sealing mechanism aresimilar to that disclosed in the prior filed application. Movablysupported on the rail 4 is the cell structure consisting of two cellparts A, B, respectively including rear walls 5, 6, side Walls 7, 8 andbottom or bases 19, 20. As shown in Figure 1, side walls 7 of one cellpart are at a higher level than the side walls 8 of the other cell partand the base structure 19 of the one cell part is in effect bifurcatedwhile the base structure 20 of the other cell part fits between the twobase parts 19. The opposite sides of the base structure 19 have a shortupstanding portion 19' to assist in positioning a container with itsopen end up at the filling station.

The containers to be manipulated in accordance with the presentinvention are those which are either multisided in cross section such assquare or rectangular or those in which the upper portion is multi-sidedand the body tapers downwardly and merges into a round bottom. However,the Wall structure of such containers in the area above the fillinglevel are, as disclosed in the said prior filed application, scored orlined to form a gabled closure in which the opposite walls fold towardone another in a prefolding relation to initiate movement of the otherpair of opposite walls toward one another so that they can be movedbetween the blades indicated at 2 to complete the folding of the closureand a guiding of the same into the sealing head as shown in said priorapplication. Accordingly, the cell structure parts are each providedwith a counterweighted prefolding blade arrangement 18 movable about apivot means 17.

Each cell part includes supporting plates 10 attached to the respectiverear walls and 6 and these supporting plates carry roller means such asat 11 for guiding and facilitating the movement ofthe cell parts alongthe fixed rail 4. The cell part A that is nearest the filling stationhas a latch 12 of hook formation pivoted at 12' to the supporting plate10. A stop pin 12" projecting out from the rear of this supporting plate10 prevents the latch from falling out of a position other thanhorizontal and ensures the holding thereof over a pin 13 that projectshorizontally from one of the side walls 8 of the other cell part B. Asshown in the drawings, the nose of the latch 12 is at an angle, so thatwhen the two pocket parts are moved together, the latch is cammed up bypin 13 and then drops thereover to hold the parts together in a positionof Figure 1. When the thus coupled cell parts are moved away from thefilling station toward the sealing station and reach that station, thenose 14 of the latch engages a cam stop 15 in alignment with the path ofmovement with the latch so that this beveled nose 14 rides up the camsurface at the right hand end position of the coupled cell parts andreleases the latch connection between said cell parts. As soon as thelatch is released, a return mechanism such as a spring-tensioned returncord device illustrated diagrammatically at 16 returns the one cell partback to the filling station, that is, to its original position. Asuitable stop on buffer means, not shown, is engaged by the returningcell part. The operation of the invention will now be described withreference to Figures 4 to 9. In Figure 4 the parts are shown in aposition in which cell part B is at the sealing station and supporting afilled and closed container for sealing, while cell part A is positionedat the filling station to receive a container to be filled. A containerto be filled is removed from the stacking device 21 and as shown inFigure 5 positioned on cell part A with the filling operation beingcommenced. At the same time the operator with one hand moves cell part Bback toward the filling station until as shown in Figure 6 the filled,closed and sealed container has moved from beneath the folding bladearrangement 2, whereupon the sealed container is removed and the cellpart B is displaced to the left to a position shown in Figure 7 andlatched to cell part A, so as to completely surround the filledcontainer. The operator then manipulates the prefolding blades 18 andmoves the coupled cell parts and filled container to the right throughthe folding blade arrangement 2 and into the sealing station. Figure 8illustrates the coupled cell parts in an intermediate position. As soonas the coupled cell parts carrying a filled container with its foldedover closure into the sealing head reaches the position shown in Figure9 the cam 15 lifts latch 12, so that cell part A is automaticallyreturned to the filling station by moving in the direction of the arrowin Figure 9, so that the parts resume the position shown in Figure 4,whereupon while the handle for the sealing head is still held down withone hand the operator removes another container from the magazine anddeposits it on cell part 9 and actuates the filling valve control withhis other hand. Following this, the handle for the sealing head israised to a position shown in Figure 5, and the operator manipulatescell part B back toward the filling station along the track 4, lifts outthe second sealed container, and then moves cell part B into couplingrelation with cell part A, during which time the filling process hasbeen completed and the parts are again in the position of Figure 7 readyto transport the third container to the sealing station.

In order to ensure that the return movement of cell part A toward thefilling station after it has been unlatched is not hindered due to anydownward pressure exerted on the base structure by the filled container,the bottom plate structure 19 of cell part A is at a lower level thanthe bottom plate structure 20 of cell part B, which permits thewithdrawal of cell part A from beneath the filled container without anyundue friction. Further, the plate structure 20 of cell part B ischamfered, so that when it is moved to the position shown in Figure 7,it does not unduly effect a container being filled in passingtherebeneath, while the cell parts are being coupled together. 1

It is also to be pointed out that the invention contemplates a furtherincrease in the production capacity of the filling and sealing mechanismby incorporaing a plurality of filling and sealing devices andconstructing and arranging the cell parts so that each part cansimultaneously receive two or more containers. Obviously the structurecould be such that the containers are arranged either behind one anotheror alongside one another.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for filling and closing containers comprising a fillingstation, a sealing station displaced from the filling station, a cellmeans adapted to support a container for filling and sealing, meanssupporting the cell means for movement between the stations and saidcell means comprising a two part structure adapted to cooperate to forma unit and each part being independently and individually displaceablerelative to the other and each part including supporting surfacescapable of supporting an individual container.

2. Apparatus for filling and closing containers comprising a fillingstation, a sealing station displaced from the filling station, a cellmeans adapted to support a container for filling and sealing, meanssupporting the cell means for movement between the stations, said cellmeans comprising a two part structure adapted to cooperate to form aunit, each part being independently and individually displaceablerelative to the other, and each part including supporting surfacescapable of supporting an individual container, and further includingreleasable latching means operably associated with said parts to couplethe same together as a unit.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said latching means includesa component carried by each cell part, one of said components beingmovable and includ ing a latching surface engageable with the othercomponent responsive to movement of the cell parts toward one anotherinto engaged position.

4. Apparatus for filling and closing containers comprising a fillingstation, a sealing station displaced from the filling station, a cellmeans adapted to support a container for filling and sealing, meanssupporting the cell means for movement between the stations, said cellmeans comprising a two part structure adapted to cooperate to form aunit, each part being independently and individually displaceablerelative to the other, and each part including supporting surfacescapable of supporting an individual container, releasable movablelatching means operably associated with said cell parts to couple theparts together as a unit, and unlatching means at an end position ofmovement of the cell means at one of the stations mounted forcooperation with said latching means to release the same responsive tomovement of the unit to said end position.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and a return mechanism operablyassociated with one of said cell parts to return the same to an initialposition independently of the other cell part when the latching means isreleased.

6. Apparatus for filling and closing containers comprising a fillingstation, a sealing station displaced from the filling station, a cellmeans adapted to support a container for filling and sealing, meanssuporting the cell means for movement between the stations, said cellmeans comprising a two part structure adapted to cooperate to form aunit, each part being independently and individually displaceablerelative to the other, and

6 each part including supporting surfaces capable of supporting anindividual container, the surfaces of each part that are capable ofsupporting an individual container including a bottom surface, and thebottom surface of one part including at least a portion lying in adifferent vertical level than the bottom surface of the other.

7. In apparatus for filling and closing containers ofpaper, cardboard orthe like carton-forming material and which containers are of the typewhich include an upper wall structure extending above a filling levelthat is multisided, lined to determine a folded closure and in which onewall has a closure flap forming extension thereon adapted to be sealedby the application of heat and pressure, the improvements comprising afilling station wherein successive containers are adapted to be filled,a sealing station displaced from said filling station and includingmeans adapted to seal a folded container, a folding blade structureextending from the sealing station toward the filling station andadapted to complete the folding of the closure, said folding bladestructure including spaced fold-forming blades, a cell structure adaptedto support a container with its open end up, means mounting the cellstructure for movement between the filling station and the sealingstation, pre-folding blades movably mounted on the cell structure andadapted upon actuation to initiate movement of opposite walls toward oneanother to impart similar movement to the other walls wherebydisplacement of the cell structure between the filling station and thesealing station with the pre-folding blades maintained in pre-foldingposition moves the container wall structure toward and between thespaced folder blades to complete the formation of the folded closure andto guide the now completed folded closure into the sealing station sothat it can be sealed, said cell structure comprising two complementaryoppo sitely facing half cell parts, each supported for individualmovement and including surfaces capable of supporting a container.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the means mounting the cellstructure comprises afixed rail extending between the filling stationand the sealing station, each half cell part including roller means formounting the parts for movement along the rail, a releasable latchingmeans operably associated with the parts and movable to latchingposition in response to movement of the parts together, and means at thesealing station and in the path of movement of the latching means forunlatching the same when the latched cell parts reach said sealingstation.

9. In apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the said fixed railextends horizontally between the filling station and the sealingstation, and means connected to that cell part that is nearest thefilling station for returning the same to the filling stationindependently of the other cell part in response to release of thelatching means.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which each cell part includes apartial bottom structure each capable of supporting a container inupright condition and the partial bottom structure of the cell partadjacent the filling station lying at a level slightly below the levelof the partial bottom structure of the other cell part to facilitatereturn movement toward the filling station.

Gillican Jan. 26, 1945 Earp et a1. June 19, 1956

